"Let the Lord enter; He is the king of glory." PS 24:1-2
A Note from our President
Dear Parents,

During this Advent season, our students and staff have enthusiastically prepared for the birth of our Savior. Whether it was singing, organizing food drives or celebrating the Eucharist, our students demonstrated the true meaning of the season. This is what our Catholic school allows us to do.

Thank you for choosing Catholic education and for your support that allows our students and staff to grow in their faith. I am so grateful for your presence in our community.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and myself, we want to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

God Bless,

Mrs. Hoy 
Raider Recap
Christmas Assembly
Thanks to Mrs. Brenda Jackson and all theater students for the countless hours spent preparing for our annual Christmas Assembly.

Engineering & Design
The Intro to Engineering design team got the go-ahead to manufacture our lab thermometer holder design from client and Chemistry teacher Mrs. Bryant!
From the Science Lab
AP Chemistry students worked together to analyze a water-splitting reaction.
Announcements
Advent Blog

In case you missed it, our very own Theology teacher Anthony Basso has an Advent Blog. Click here or keep scrolling to read Week Four: Behold, Our Savior Comes. Let us Give Thanks.
Service Learning

Parents, if you need more information about the requirements for service hours, have your child show you the Cardinal Ritter Service Google Classroom page. If your child has not yet joined, the code is 75g4wb.

Your child should be logging their hours on  mobileserve.com  for 2nd semester. If they need assistance, please email Becky Floyd  or call 317-924-4333 ext. 407.
US Baseball Academy Skills Camp

The US Baseball Academy is running a discount for their skills camp in February. Use code FLYER2020 for $20 off. This would make a great Christmas gift!
PSAT Note

Sophomore and Junior Parents: PSAT scores were released on December 11th to students via the email address that they put on their answer sheet. A letter with more details about the scores as well as a score report will be sent home over Christmas Break. Pre-ACT scores will also be sent home at that time. Below is short video that explains PSAT test results.
Volunteer Opportunity

There are many opportunities to get your volunteer hours at basketball games this winter.  CRHS is looking for ticket takers and concession stand workers.  Please contact Jim Martin  if interested. 
Next Newsletter

The next newsletter will be on Friday, January 10, 2020.
2020-21 All Grades: New Immunization Requirement for Hepatitis A

The State of Indiana will be requiring a 2 dose series of Hepatitis A immunization (doses must be at least 6 months apart) for all grades (K-12) beginning with the 2020-2021 school year. Several students have already met this requirement and I'll be notifying students with missing doses. 

Class of 2021: Hepatitis A & Meningitis Immunization Requirements

Attention Class of 2021! The State of Indiana has additional 12th grade immunization requirements that states all students in the 12th grade MUST have a booster Meningococcal vaccination (MCV4, Menactra, or Menveo) after age 16 & a 2 dose series of Hepatitis A immunizations (doses must be at least 6 months apart). These vaccines  are required for high school entry . If you had your first shot of MCV4 at age 16 or older, the booster shot is not required. Please note there is also a 2 dose series of Meningoccal B strain which is NOT required but is recommended to be done. 
The Cardinal Ritter clinic needs you to get these requirements  done before next August 2020 OR provide documentation as having already completed this requirement.   If your student needs 2 doses of Hepatitis A, the 1st dose should be completed before school starts and the 2nd dose may be done 6 months later during the 1st semester. Nurse Feltz will be contacting families by email and letters to let you know what documentation the clinic is missing for your student. You may also look in the immunization section of Family Link. Thanks for your cooperation and please reach out to Nurse Feltz with any questions.
Advent Blog
Behold, Our Savior Comes. Let us Give Thanks.

[Week Four]
 
The hour is drawing near. This fourth and final Sunday of Advent comes only a few days before the celebration of Christmas itself. In the weeks leading up to the birth of a child parents often experience a flood of emotions: eager anticipation gives way to anxiety then replaced by impatience which may then give way to fear. It is truly dizzying as dozens of unspoken questions swirl about in our minds as THE day approaches. In this regard our Blessed Mother is truly a model of Faith. Without the benefit of a baby shower, a team of medical professionals or even the comfort of her own home, Mary was prepared to bring Christ into the world. Better than her ancestors before her, she had learned to Trust in God’s providence - that, while not always in ways that we expect, God will provide. Indeed, he had already done so for her in the person of St. Joseph, for in Him God had provided a trustworthy and faithful man, a descendant of David, the Great King, in order to protect and care for Mary and her child. Joseph’s lineage is no minor detail, for though he is not the Father of Jesus, in earthly terms it places him in the line of David. As we see in our second reading this week, St. Paul opens his letter to the Romans with reference to the prophecies of old which foretold the coming of the Son of God as a descendant of David. The Church features the reading of Joseph’s ancestry as the Gospel for the Christmas vigil mass (the original Night Before Christmas .) 

For his part, St. Joseph was also in need of God’s Providence, for he was beginning to feel some (understandable) trepidation about continuing his engagement with Mary in light of her unexplained (to him) pregnancy. As we hear in Sunday’s Gospel, by way of a dream and a visit from an angel God Provides Joseph the reassurance that the path He is on is the right one, and that he need not fear. This dream had to have been at the same time a source of both fear and of great peace. After the appearance of this heavenly messenger Joseph decides, regardless of what common sense or public perception might dictate, to remain with Mary, to honor her, and her Son, with his loving presence. God never ceases to provide for us; and like St. Joseph, often God provides for others through us. Like St. Joseph, we can be instruments of His providence, a providence that never fails.  

All of this Sunday’s readings help us to recognize the coming of Christ as the greatest example of God’s providence for all of us. In the first reading the prophet, Isaiah, writes that “A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him ‘Emmanuel’.” This one used to leave me puzzled, for while a Virgin did conceive and bear a Son, she would not name him Emmanuel. Does this prophecy not apply to Jesus? Has Mary failed to fulfill God’s plan in this detail? I came to learn, and we would do well to remember that especially in the ancient world, names carried great significance, and people might well be known by more than one name. While it is unlikely that anyone ever called Jesus “Emmanuel” during His earthly life, the meaning of this Hebrew name, Imanu-el, “God is with us” certainly applies to Jesus, for he is the Word made Flesh, God among us.

Occasionally students will ask, “So why did God choose to be with us? Why did God have to become human? Why did Jesus have to be born?” What great questions! Indeed, why would God go through all the troublesome steps involved in the Incarnation and the Paschal Mystery ? We find at least part of the answer in Sunday’s Psalm. The Psalmist rhetorically asks, “Who can ascend the mountain of God and Stand in His Holy place?” and the answer comes, “only one whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who does not desire what is vain.” Since the time of Adam (which is to say, almost the very beginning) humanity has been in a fallen state. God’s will has been rejected time and again in favor of our own wills and desires. The divinely appointed remedy for sin, observed throughout the Old Covenant, was sacrifice. The victim had to be unblemished and perfect, without flaw. But it was not sheep or goats, not bulls and oxen who had offended God, but humans. And so the ultimate sacrifice could not be an animal, but rather must be a human. But no human, fallen as we are, was unblemished and perfect, no human was without flaw. Thus we needed this perfect man, this “New Adam” to offer Himself as the one, enduring sacrifice of our Salvation. We needed one whose “hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who does not desire what is vain.” We needed a Savior. 

This need for a Savior is addressed explicitly by the name of Jesus, which, like His divine origin, was revealed to St. Joseph in a dream. The name “Jesus”, from the Hebrew, Yeshua , means “God Saves.” For the Jewish people, who throughout their history were the subjects of enslavement, exile, oppression, and occupation, the name “Jesus” was a living reminder of God’s promise to save His people. Likewise, today, the name Jesus , or the anglicized version of Yeshua , “Joshua” are living reminders that God has saved His people. 

Responding to the Word:
We see this week that 
God’s Providence never fails
that God is with us in His Son, Jesus
Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, who has come to save us.
How else can we respond but with gratitude?! 
As Fr. Romano Guardini wrote on the Virtue of Gratitude , to respond with gratitude is first to be reminded of one’s humanity and that of those around us. So often our interactions are rote and mechanical, and “thank you” can become just a matter of good manners, an automatic response passed without thought. Genuine gratitude is deeply personal - shared by one person to another. Secondly, gratitude reminds us of our freedom. Genuine gratitude emerges from us when we receive something (an object, a service) which is freely given, but not for what is owed or expected; Finally, cultivating gratitude helps us to develop a reverence for the gift-giver, whether it is God, or one made in His Image.  

At every mass the priest invites, “Let us give thanks to the Lord, Our God” to which we respond with the phrase, “it is right and just.'' We pass quickly over this phrase, but giving thanks truly sets things right for it helps us to see everything as the gift that it is. It is truly just because God is deserving of our thanks. However, when we cultivate gratitude we are doing more than just paying a debt of justice, for by God’s providential design the very act of giving thanks improves our mental health and happiness . The coming week will give us much to be grateful for. Take the time to experience and express gratitude for all these gifts, especially by giving thanks with the Church at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Let us give thanks to God, this week and always, for the Gift of His Son, and for the multitude of ways in which His Providence never fails.

A Post Script about Christmas:
For years well-intended folks have been urging us to “Keep Christ in Christmas,” and this we most certainly should do. But what does that mean and how do we do it? There are a multitude of ways: We can increase our scripture reading and our prayer, making it a daily habit. We can examine our consciences and avail ourselves of Christ’s mercy in the sacrament of confession. We can engage in Christian Service to the poor and marginalized. But above all of these, the best possible way is found in the word “Christmas” itself. It is from the English custom of naming feast days. For example, the feast of St. Michael is known as “Michalemas,” which is to say, “Michael’s Mass”. The name “Christmas” then is “Christ’s Mass,” which reminds us that the best way to Keep Christ in Christmas is to Keep Mass in Christmas. Make it your habit to go to mass not just on Christmas, but throughout the Christmas season. While our culture will quickly move on to other holidays, for the Church the Christmas season extends through January 12th (and in some communities, all the way to the feast of the Presentation on February 2nd!) So leave up the tree and the decorations, play the Christmas music a little longer, and give thanks to God by prayerfully attending mass at your parish. 
Support CRHS
Want to give back to the Cardinal Ritter community with Coca-Cola Give? Simply go to the Coca-Cola Give website , select Cardinal Ritter High School as your school of choice, and enter the code found on the inside of Coca-Cola packaging.
SKIP THE SCISSORS
IT'S TIME TO GET THE NEW MOBILE APP!
In case you haven’t heard, the collection of Box Tops is moving away from the traditional clipping. Eventually the Box Tops program will become digital-only. Participating brands are starting to change their packaging from a traditional Box Tops clip to the new Box Top label.

It's the easiest way to earn for CRHS: Simply download the Box Tops for Education mobile app from the app store, and be sure to choose Cardinal Ritter as your school of choice. Once you scan your store receipt, the app automatically finds participating products. 10¢ per Box Top will be added to CRHS's earnings online. Thank you for supporting Cardinal Ritter High School, and please let us know if you have any questions!
Senior Retreat Leader Opportunity
We need your help! If you are a college-aged graduate and are interested in serving on senior retreat, click  here . If you know a college-aged graduate who is interested in serving on a senior retreat, send them the link as well!
Open Cafeteria Position

SAVE 25% OFF TUITION by working with a great and hard-working team of cafeteria specialists! The Cardinal Ritter Cafeteria is looking for a dedicated and dependable employee. One who is passionate about our kids and their health and wants to be part of our drive to offer the delicious and nutritious meals kids need to be at their best in school every day. Be home when your kids are home in the morning, and be home when your kids are home in the afternoon. For more information, visit CardinalRitter.org/careers or email Art Bouvier .


Open Maintenance Position

CRHS has a part-time, 20-25 hour per week maintenance and housekeeping position open. Please contact Joe Anderson for more information.
Junior Job Shadowing

Junior job shadowing is a requirement for every junior to complete at Cardinal Ritter. We are in need of parents who would be willing to take a student shadow. Please contact Lindsay Thomas at 317-924-4333 ext. 421 or lthomas@cardinalritter.org  if you are interested. 
Yearbook Community Upload

Want to submit photos for the 2019-20 Yearbook? Please use the button below to share your photos with the CRHS Yearbook Class.
Thank you for supporting Cardinal Ritter!
Senior parents: Are you interested in placing a senior ad in the 2019-20 Yearbook? Click here for ad information.
8th Grade Graduation Volunteer Sign-Up

The 8th grade graduation reception is scheduled for Wednesday, May 27, 2020, and we need approximately six volunteers to help with this event. If you choose, these volunteer hours can count toward the 2020-2021 school year. If you have questions, please contact Tiffany Dix at tndix10@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for your help!
SCRIP Information
Instructions for Ordering Online

1. Go to  shopwithscrip.com  and create an account. Our organization code is FE97AB26258L.
2. Once your account is created, click on "Shop" and browse the hundreds of products available
3. After your order is complete, choose your payment method - either check or PrestoPay. You DO NOT have to use PrestoPay to order online. If you choose check, just send your payment in with your student on Monday morning. 
4. Look for your order to come home on Wednesday or Thursday-unless you ordered ScripNow (e-certificates) or Reloads. Those will be available as soon as the order is processed on Monday if you pay by check, or almost immediately if you pay with PrestoPay. 
5. Click here for more detailed instructions.
Amazon Smile

Don't forget to select Cardinal Ritter High School as your charity of choice at smile.amazon.com,  and a portion of your purchase will be donated to CRHS!
Earn rewards for CRHS every time you shop at Kroger!  
New Number: LL023

Support CRHS every time you shop at Kroger! Log in to your Kroger account and click "My Account" at the top of the homepage to get to your Account Summary page. Click the "Add Card" button under "Plus Card and Alt ID(s)." Type your 12- or 13-digit Kroger card number into the "Plus Card-or-Alt ID Number" field. This number is at the back of your Kroger Plus card. Then you can click on community rewards on the side bar and type Cardinal Ritter High School into the search space. CRHS will earn money every time you swipe your Kroger Card.
January at a Glance
Non-Discrimination Policy
All schools operated by schools and parishes under the guidance of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
Mission Statement
The West Deanery Unified Catholic Schools are Roman Catholic schools that provide an academically rigorous education for our diverse student population. Students are challenged to grow in Mind, Body, & Soul and to engage in charitable stewardship of their unique talents and abilities.
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